Conrad Holt and GM Ray Robson were the stars of the UTD Invitational in Dallas (March 10-16). The event format was a "Scheveningen" system, which opposed a visiting GM squad of Robson, Giorgi Kacheishvili, Aleksandr Lenderman, Magesh Panchanathan & Manuel Leon Hoyos against Holt, GM Valentin Iotov,
GM Cristian-Ioan Chirila,
GM Julio Catalino Sadorra &
IM Milos Pavlovic, all of the UTD team. The tournament was held just in time for the Final Four of College Chess, which will span from March 31-April 1 in Virginia.

Holt earned his final GM norm and also gained enough rating points to push him over 2500 FIDE. Here is one of his wins, a patient endgame win on the White side of the Benko Gambit against Manuel Leon Hoyos of Mexico.